Deaf Education & Empowerment in Ethiopia Dr. Betsy Finigan & Greg Buie
Deafness in Ethiopia • Ethiopia is a low-income, underdeveloped country with a population of more than 80 million, ranking 157th in the world on the Human Development Index. • Nationwide there is an extreme lack of services available to the deaf community • There are an estimated 1 - 2.5 million deaf in Ethiopia • Regular challenges faced by the deaf in Ethiopia include lack of access to education, basic services and information, communication, employment, health care, and more…
Program Efforts • Promote Ethiopian Sign Language (EthSL) through posting of qualified teachers in Bahir Dar, NW Ethiopia • Support and empower local deaf persons organizations • Develop and disseminate educational materials and short films • Promote volunteerism and coordinate future volunteer trips (one 2-week group trip held in 2012; one 2-week group trip planned for summer 2013)
Local Partners • We are working collaboratively with these local partners to help empower them: – Deaf Development & Information Association (DDIA) – Ethiopian National Association for the Deaf (ENAD) – Addis Ababa University—Linguistics Department & Sign Language/Deaf Culture program – Yekatit 23 School, Bahir Dar – Dozens of local deaf persons, teachers, and community leaders